The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (The Alliance) is thrilled to announce a partnership with the World Travel Awards today.

This collaboration aims to oversee a high integrity and clear award submission collection process for the inaugural World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) and to serve as a significant member of the Advisory Board for the WSTHA. The announcement was made at FITUR in Madrid, in anticipation of the WSTHA Ceremony set to take place in Belize on 27th September 2024.

In his role as CEO of The Alliance, Glenn Mandziuk will serve as vice-chair on the Advisory Board, working alongside esteemed authorities, academics, and dignitaries within sustainable tourism. The board will guide the WSTHA programme to reflect the travel and hospitality ecosystem, including best practice, standards, and the award category list. Other members of the Advisory Board include Hon. Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Belize; Chris Imbsen, Director of Sustainability, World Travel & Tourism Council; Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic; Patricio Azcárate Díaz de Losada, General Secretary, Responsible Tourism Institute; Fran Brasseux, Executive Director, International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education; and Susan Hooper, Chair, Carbon Gap.

Mandziuk noted:

“As we kick off 2024, we are excited to announce this partnership with World Travel Awards to foster the establishment of the World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards, which strengthens our position and network in leading the industry to Net Positive Hospitality. The new programme will undoubtedly highlight the hospitality industry’s expertise and collective efforts towards achieving Net Positive. It’s an honour to join the Board, and I eagerly anticipate collaborating with these sustainability experts and leaders as we make a significant impact on capturing the best in class examples of sustainability progress within our industry.”

The WSTHA will feature up to 30 award categories covering the broad spectrum of the travel and tourism economy, from community initiatives and eco hotels to food sourcing and clean water. The winners will be revealed at the WSTHA Gala Ceremony 2024 in Belize, attended by leading figureheads of sustainable tourism.

The Alliance, in collaboration with strategic partners, addresses key global challenges affecting the planet, people, and places. As part of this partnership, The Alliance will establish and execute a process to collect and screen best practices exemplifying Net Positive Hospitality. These best practices will be used to capture case studies that will foster advancement within the hospitality sector.

Left to right: Justin Cooke (Executive Vice-President, World Travel Awards), Glenn Mandziuk (CEO, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance), Gale Malic-Ozaeta (Marketing and Communications Manager Belize Tourism Board), Patricio Azcárate Díaz de Losada, (General Secretary, Responsible Tourism Institute).

Justin Cooke, Executive Vice-President, World Travel Awards, commented:

“We are delighted to partner with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and welcome such a high calibre expert to our Advisory Board. We look forward the Alliance’s contributions in steering our programme with the goal of raising the bar for sustainable best practice and leading the net positive future of our industry. We eagerly anticipate welcoming them in Belize for the inaugural WSTHA Gala Ceremony on 27th September 2024.”

As the Official Host Destination of WSTHA 2024, Belize is committed to responsible tourism and encourages travellers to engage with its rainforests, reefs, and unique culture sustainably.

Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Belize, added:

“Sustainability and responsible tourism are at the core of our value system in Belize. We are excited to host the inaugural WSTHA in September 2024, spotlighting our best practices and fostering sustainable interaction with our rainforests, Barrier Reef, and local communities. We are honoured to have a group of sustainability trailblazers join the awards Advisory Board to ensure the World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards are a resounding success.”

To find out more about the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s partners, visit https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/about-us/partners/, and for more information about the World Travel Awards visit https://www.worldtravelawards.com/.